9. Your healthcare professional
Your healthcare professional can help you to understand your condition and how to treat it. However, the way you choose to use this knowledge day to day will have the biggest impact on your diabetes control.
To ensure you can achieve the best possible control of your diabetes you need to know:
- What is diabetes?
- How is diabetes managed?
- How diet and activity can affect diabetes?
- When to take any medication you are given, how it works and what the side effects could be. What to do if a dose is missed?
- How will you know if the treatment is working?
- How will you know if the treatment is not working?
- How often you will need to see the nurse or doctor
If you do not know the answers to these questions or you have other questions please ask.
- Ask your healthcare professional to write down any instructions.
- Ask your healthcare professional for printed information about the topic you have been discussing.
- If you still have trouble understanding what has been said ask where you can go for more information
- Ensure you know how to contact your healthcare professional in case you have questions before your next appointment.
You can bring a family member or friend with you to the appointment.